My theme this week should be Barry Manilow

I have gone to quite a few concerts in my life.  Really, in my 30's before that and sadly after, I was not much of a concert goer. In my teens/20's it just wasn't something I did a lot of. Now in my 40's the cost of a babysitter combined with tickets? Forgetaboutit.

As a teen, I only went to two. One was Van Halen without David Lee Roth (disappointment) but my first ever concert was...

My first ever concert was Barry Manilow with my mom. She had an extra ticket, I was 12 and thought I was so adult out with her and her girlfriends. Little did I expect them all to turn into 12 year old girls and squeal at the top of their lungs. It was the first time I ever saw my mom as more than just my mom. That she was a woman with an obsession crush on this man who really liked show tunes. A woman with girlfriends and a life outside of our home, someone I may not have recognized but began to admire.

 

Really, pink sweater?

My husband and I owe our life together to Jimmy Buffett. Way back when you could go to a concert for under $30 we were chatting at a pick-up volleyball game. In the boldest move I have ever made I said, well, if you ever get Jimmy Buffett tickets give me a call…

David immediately replied, Do I have to wait? Proving that I am a sucker for any guy who will pay attention to me for dinner of course I said yes.  Then promptly went home and bought a Buffett tape (yes, this is how long ago the experience was) to memorize every song. You know, just in case.

 

A few weeks later he was able to get tickets and off we went to my first Buffett experience. If you have never experienced a New England Tailgate, think of the craziest bunch of people who may or may not be clothed. Add alcohol, sand, blow-up pools, brownies that may or may not be legal and a zillion barbeques, with a splash of sun. This is how we go to concerts up here (and Patriots games). Oh there were also inflatable sharks on every 3^rd car, because why wouldn’t you bring pool floats to a parking lot? A completely different experience than Mannilow that is for sure!

There we were with 40 of his closest friends and I realized that life with this man would be an adventure.  It’s been a while since we I have gone to a concert.  I did try to get David tickets to Buffett this year. But the cost of tickets and babysitter were over $400. So I made him a mix CD instead.

To this day, I cannot hear Mandy without thinking of my mom or any Buffett song without thinking back to that first concert with David.

 

And those are my two favorite concert memories brought to you by The Next Step. What are your favorite memories? Join me at the Theme Thursday

 

 

 



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